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Sunday, January 07, 2007

Should Science Be Subjected to Any Limits?

VITAL research into devastating diseases could be put in jeopardy because of government opposition to plans to create part animal-part human embryos, it was claimed yesterday.

A white paper published at the end of last year voiced doubts about research involving chimera embryos - which would be 99.9 per cent human and only 0.1 per cent rabbit or cow.

But scientists hoping to use the technology to create treatments for serious illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and motor neurone disease say they must be allowed to continue their work.

Professor Ian Wilmut, from Edinburgh University, leader of the team that created Dolly the sheep, was preparing his application for chimera research when the government said such work should be outlawed - at least initially. Yesterday, he joined scientists from London and Newcastle, who have submitted proposals for similar work, to call for a rethink by the government and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which issues licences for such studies.

They believe the views expressed by scientists during the consultation on fertility laws were submerged under a mass of responses opposing such research generated by organised campaigns by pro-life groups.

Prof Wilmut said the decision was “uncharacteristically short-sighted” from a government which had previously been supportive of medical advances in the UK.